Love Runs Blind, often abbreviated as LRB, was a Bangladeshi
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band formed in
Chittagong City
Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...
by
Ayub Bachchu
Ayub Bachchu (; 16 August 1962 – 18 October 2018) was a Bangladeshi rock guitarist, composer, singer and songwriter, who was the founder of the Bangladeshi rock band LRB and earned success as the lead singer and the lead guitarist of the ...
from 5 April 1991 until 18 October 2018. They are one of the most successful bands of Bangladesh. Since their formation, they have released thirteen studio albums, one live album and two compilation albums. They have also appeared in several mixed albums. They are considered to be among the pioneers of
Bangladeshi hard rock music. They were originally formed as a
hard rock band, but have experimented with many subgenres of
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm a ...
.
After signing with Sargam Records, LRB released the first double album in Bangladesh, ''LRB I'' and ''LRB II'' in 1992. Their 3rd album ''"
সুখ (Happiness)"'' (1993) helped them to get more commercial success in the country, and featured the song "
চলো বদলে যাই (Let's Change)", which is one of the most popular rock songs in Bangladesh. Their popularity continued with hit albums like ''"
তবুও (Yet)"'' (1994), ''"
ঘুমন্ত শহরে (In the Sleeping City)"'' (1995) etc. In September 1996, they released ''"
Ferari Mon: Unplugged Live"'', which was the first
live album in Bangladesh. They are the only Bangladeshi band to perform in the
Madison Square Garden, New York. They rose to mainstream fame in the early 1990s and is part of "Big Three of Rock" along with
Ark
Ark or ARK may refer to:
Biblical narratives and religion Hebrew word ''teva''
* Noah's Ark, a massive vessel said to have been built to save the world's animals from a flood
* Ark of bulrushes, the boat of the infant Moses
Hebrew ''aron''
* ...
and
Nagar Baul, who were responsible for popularizing
hard rock music in Bangladesh in the 1990s. In 18 October 2018, lead singer and lead guitarist of the band
Ayub Bachchu
Ayub Bachchu (; 16 August 1962 – 18 October 2018) was a Bangladeshi rock guitarist, composer, singer and songwriter, who was the founder of the Bangladeshi rock band LRB and earned success as the lead singer and the lead guitarist of the ...
, died of
cardiac failure
Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, a ...
in his own residence. Bachchu gave his last performance in
Rangpur, Bangladesh, two days before his death.
LRB is considered to be one of the most influential and successful rock bands of Bangladesh. ''The Top Tens'' ranked them number 4 on their list of "Top 10 Rock Bands of Bangladesh". They have won a record six
Meril Prothom Alo Awards
''Meril Prothom Alo Awards'' or ''Prothom Alo Awards'' is an annual Bangladeshi awards ceremony honouring cinematic achievements in Bangladeshi Film Industry. The awards are divided into two components, Viewers' Choice and Critics' Choice. The a ...
and a
Citycell-Channel I Music Award in 2007.
History
Early Years, ''L.R.B. I'' and ''L.R.B. II'' (1990–1992)
In the late 1990,
Ayub Bachchu
Ayub Bachchu (; 16 August 1962 – 18 October 2018) was a Bangladeshi rock guitarist, composer, singer and songwriter, who was the founder of the Bangladeshi rock band LRB and earned success as the lead singer and the lead guitarist of the ...
got out of
Souls
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
.
Bachchu along with
S.I. Tutul,
Saidul Hasan Swapan
Love Runs Blind, often abbreviated as LRB, was a Bangladeshi rock band formed in Chittagong City by Ayub Bachchu from 5 April 1991 until 18 October 2018. They are one of the most successful bands of Bangladesh. Since their formation, they have ...
, Habib Anwar Joy formed the band LRB, which stood for Little River Band. But, after Bachchu found out that an
Australian rock
Rock music in Australia, also known as Oz rock, Australian rock and Aussie rock, is rock music from Australia. The nation has a rich history of rock music and an appreciation of the roots of various rock genres, usually originating in the United ...
band had the same name, he changed it to Love Runs Blind. Their first line up included Bachchu on vocals and guitars, S.I. Tutul on keyboards, Swapan on bass, Joy on drums. LRB were invited to perform in a concert in
University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...
arranged by BAMBA on 26 April 1991 along with other rock bands like
Souls
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
,
Feelings
Feelings are subjective self-contained phenomenal experiences. According to the ''APA Dictionary of Psychology'', a feeling is "a self-contained phenomenal experience"; and feelings are "subjective, evaluative, and independent of the sensations ...
,
Ark
Ark or ARK may refer to:
Biblical narratives and religion Hebrew word ''teva''
* Noah's Ark, a massive vessel said to have been built to save the world's animals from a flood
* Ark of bulrushes, the boat of the infant Moses
Hebrew ''aron''
* ...
and many other bands.
In their early days they used to play live shows in Hotel Sheraton and Chambeeli Super Club along with bands like
Ark
Ark or ARK may refer to:
Biblical narratives and religion Hebrew word ''teva''
* Noah's Ark, a massive vessel said to have been built to save the world's animals from a flood
* Ark of bulrushes, the boat of the infant Moses
Hebrew ''aron''
* ...
and
Feedback. In early 1991, they signed a deal with Sargam and went on to record their albums ''LRB I'' and ''LRB II'', which was the first double album in Bangladesh. The album was released in Cassette format. It included one of the greatest hit songs of LRB "ঘুম ভাঙ্গা শহরে (In the Woke Up City)" which was the first released song of LRB as a band and this song was a super hit overnight all over Bangladesh, "ঘুম ভাঙ্গা শহরে (In the Woke Up City)" was also the first rock song of Bangladesh and the song was written by legendary lyricist
Shahid Mahmud Jangi
Shahid Mahmud Jangi Chowdhury (born 6 February, Chittagong, Bangladesh), known professionally as Shahid Mahumd Jangi, is a Bangladeshi lyricist and author.
Early life and education
Shahid Mahmud Jangi was born in Chittagong, Bangladesh to fath ...
. The albums also include songs like "ঢাকার সন্ধ্যা (Evening of Dhaka)", "হকার (Hawker)", "মা (Mother)" and "এক কাপ চা (A Cup of Tea)".
''"সুখ (Happiness)"'' and ''"তবুও (Yet)"'' (1993–1994)
After the release of their double albums, they signed a new contract with Soundtek in the mid 1992 and quickly started to work on their third album ''
সুখ (Happiness)''. The album came out in 1993. It was the band's first album to get commercial success. With the power ballad "
চলো বদলে যাই (Let’s Change)" becoming the most popular rock song of the year, they became one of the best bands of that era. The song became their signature song. The album also included hard rock song "গতকাল রাতে (Last Night)", "রুপালী গিটার (Silver Guitar)". After the release of ''
সুখ (Happiness)'', drummer Habib Anwar Joy left the band for
Ark
Ark or ARK may refer to:
Biblical narratives and religion Hebrew word ''teva''
* Noah's Ark, a massive vessel said to have been built to save the world's animals from a flood
* Ark of bulrushes, the boat of the infant Moses
Hebrew ''aron''
* ...
. On 8 June 1993, Milton Akbar joined the band as their drummer. In 1994, they released their fourth studio album ''
তবুও (Yet)'' from Sargam Records. It included the hit song "রাত জাগা পাখি (Night Bird)". Though the album was not as successful like the previous album, it cemented their
hard rock status. In January 1994, drummer Milton Akbar left the band and was replaced by Riyad on 31 January 1994.
Death of Ayub Bachchu and tribute concert (2018–present)
In 2012,
Ayub Bachchu
Ayub Bachchu (; 16 August 1962 – 18 October 2018) was a Bangladeshi rock guitarist, composer, singer and songwriter, who was the founder of the Bangladeshi rock band LRB and earned success as the lead singer and the lead guitarist of the ...
was admitted to the CCU Hospital in
Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city i ...
for the accretion of water in his lungs. He recovered after receiving treatment. On 18 October 2018, he died from cardiac failure at his own residence. He was declared dead at Square Hospital at 9:55 a.m. He was laid to rest in
Chittagong City
Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...
beside his mother's grave.
After his death his bandmates and other musicians in the country held a concert named "Tribute to Ayub Bachchu" which was produced by BAMBA, where many bands performed songs of LRB. A tribute concert in
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
was held on 24 November 2018, title "আইয়ুব বাচ্চুর স্মরণে দুই বাংলার রকবাজি (In Memoriam of Ayub Bachchu, the Rocking of Two Bangla)" where many Indian artists performed songs of LRB.
The remaining members of the band, along with his
achchuson Ahnaf, performed in the whole country. They started another tour from 22 January 2019, with Golam ur Rahman Romel on vocals and drums, Abdullah al Masud on guitars and Saidul Hasan Swapan on bass. The first show was held at ''"Hotel the Palace"'' in
Sylhet.
On 7 April 2019, during an event at Cafe Thirty-three, under the tagline "The Legacy Continues", the group announced
Balam Jahangir as their new lead singer. Bachchu's wife and daughter was not satisfied with the members of the band performing with a new singer under the name LRB. They asked the members to change the name. The band was disbanded for few days and the other members of the band along with Balam formed a new band named, "Balam and the Legacy".
Bangladesh Copyright Office said that: "Bachchu is the sole owner of LRB, only his heirs can run the band with the same name." On 15 April 2019, Bachchu's son Ahnaf Tazwar Ayub posted in his Facebook account that he was "okay" with the other members of the band keeping the name, and later Bachchu's wife and daughter also agreed on it.
Musical style
LRB is a
hard rock band, whose music has often been described as
blues rock,
soft rock,
psychedelic rock. The band has been cited as one of the pioneering
heavy metal band in Bangladesh. Early on LRB were influenced by
the Jimi Hendrix Experience
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
,
Deep Purple,
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
and
Dire Straits. Ayub Bachchu stated in an interview that
Jimi Hendrix and
Joe Satriani
Joseph Satriani (born July 15, 1956)Prato, Greg"Joe Satriani – Music Biography, Credits and Discography". '' AllMusic''. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved May 28, 2014. is an American guitarist, composer, songwriter, and guitar teacher. Early in his ...
were his main influences.
On the back sleeve of their album, ''LRB II'', Bachchu said that:
The 1990s albums of LRB were mostly hard rock,
pop rock
Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
and blues rock. But, from their 2007 studio album ''"
স্পর্শ (Touch)"'' they have released many heavy metal tracks. Since, Abdullah al Masud joined in 2003, LRB was making more heavier sound as there were two guitarist. Their last two studio albums, ''"
যুদ্ধ (War)"'' (2012) and ''"
রাখে আল্লাহ মারে কে (Allah Keeps, Who Kills)"'' (2016) mostly consisted
heavy metal numbers.
Tours
LRB has performed over 1,000 gigs that have included extensive performances in
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
as well as tours in
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
,
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
, and
the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. Their first show outside country was held in India in 1997 at
Jadavpur University
Jadavpur University is a public state university located in Jadavpur, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It was established in 1905 as ''Bengal Technical Institute'' and was converted into Jadavpur University in 1955. In 2022, it was ranked fourth am ...
, where LRB was to perform. But the organisers were a little bit doubtful about the quality of the band. After their performance they request LRB to act as a judge which
Ayub Bachchu
Ayub Bachchu (; 16 August 1962 – 18 October 2018) was a Bangladeshi rock guitarist, composer, singer and songwriter, who was the founder of the Bangladeshi rock band LRB and earned success as the lead singer and the lead guitarist of the ...
agreed to comply with. In 1998, LRB went for their first international tour in United States, where they played in seven states. In 1998, the group also played in
Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it ...
,
Abu Dhabi,
Japan,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, and
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. The group played a second tour in the United States in 2000. The group had a European tour in 2002, which included
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
,
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, and
Australia.
From 2003 through 2006, LRB performed twice in Italy and Belgium. They also performed in many cities in India as well as Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, and
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena (originally the Empire Pool, now known as OVO Arena Wembley for sponsorship reasons) is an indoor arena next to Wembley Stadium in Wembley, London, England, used for music, comedy, family entertainment and sport. The 12,500-s ...
in London. At Singapore they performed at Fort Canyon Park stage. In 2005 and 2006, LRB performed in
Salt Lake Stadium
The Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK; ), commonly known as the Salt Lake Stadium, is an all-seater multi-purpose stadium located in Bidhannagar, with current capacity of 85,000 spectators. Named after Swami Vivekananda, the stadium f ...
, Science City Theater,
Alpha Bangla
Zee Bangla is an Indian general entertainment pay television channel broadcasting in the Bengali language. It is owned by the Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It is the first Bengali-language satellite television channel in India, officially com ...
,
ETV Bangla
Colors Bangla, previously known as ETV Bangla, is an Indian general entertainment pay television channel broadcasting in Bengali language. It was launched in 2000 as ETV Bangla, owned by the Hyderabad-based ETV Network. It was later sold to TV18 ...
, Najrul Manch, Rabindra Shorobor, Guru Nanak University (Jodhpur), Haldia Utshab, Durgapur University,
Kalyani, Govt Engineer College in the fest "EXOTICA '08", and recently at NRS Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata in their college fest "ECSTASY 2013". LRB has performed in
Wimbledon Stadium
Wimbledon Stadium, also known as Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium, was a greyhound racing track located in Wimbledon in southwest London, England.
It also hosted stock car and other small circuit motor racing events, and until 2005 hosted motor ...
in London,
Madison Square Garden in New York City twice, and Ellin Garden in the United Kingdom.
LRB also has used its music to support social causes in conjunction with other Bengali rock groups. Recently, they performed in support of children endangered by the recent Tsunami and Sidr. Also, they have performed in support of campaigns to "Say No to Drugs", "Save Motherhood", and "Victims Against Non-violence". In 1998 Ayub bachchu released a solo album "বাঁচাও বিধাতা (Save Me God)" for the aid of the flood-stricken people of the country.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''L.R.B I'' (1992)
* ''L.R.B II'' (1992)
* ''"
সুখ (Happiness)"'' (1993)
* ''"
তবুও (Yet)"'' (1994)
* ''"
ঘুমন্ত শহরে (In the Sleeping City)"'' (1995)
* ''"স্বপ্ন (Dream)"'' (1996)
* ''"
ফেরারী মন: Unplugged Live"'' (1996)
* ''"আমাদের? (Ours?)"'' (1998)
* ''"বিস্ময় (Wonder)"'' (1998)
* ''"মন চাইলে মন পাবে (If You Want My Heart, You'll Get it)"'' (2001)
* ''"অচেনা জীবন (Unknown Life)"'' (2003)
* ''"মনে আছে নাকি নাই (Do You Remember, or Not)"'' (2005)
* ''"স্পর্শ (Touch)"'' (2008)
* ''"যুদ্ধ (War)"'' (2012)
* ''"রাখে আল্লাহ মারে কে (Allah Keeps, Who Kills)"'' (2016)
Awards
Meril Prothom Alo Awards
''Meril Prothom Alo Awards'' or ''Prothom Alo Awards'' is an annual Bangladeshi awards ceremony honouring cinematic achievements in Bangladeshi Film Industry. The awards are divided into two components, Viewers' Choice and Critics' Choice. The a ...
, -
, 1998 , , Love Runs Blind , , Best Band of the Year , ,
, -
, 1999 , , Love Runs Blind , , Best Band of the Year , ,
, -
, 2000 , , Love Runs Blind , , Best Band of the Year , ,
, -
, 2001 , , ''মন চাইলে মন পাবে (If You Want My Heart, You'll Get it)'' , , Best Band Album of the Year , ,
, -
, 2005 , , Love Runs Blind , , Best Band of the Year , ,
, -
, 2007 , , ''স্পর্শ (Touch)'' , , Best Band Album of the Year , ,
, -
, 2009 , , ''Bolini Tomai'' , , Best Male Vocal of the Year , ,
Citycell-Channel I Music Awards
, -
, 2007 , , ''স্পর্শ (Touch)'' , , Album of the Year , ,
Members
All members
*
Ayub Bachchu
Ayub Bachchu (; 16 August 1962 – 18 October 2018) was a Bangladeshi rock guitarist, composer, singer and songwriter, who was the founder of the Bangladeshi rock band LRB and earned success as the lead singer and the lead guitarist of the ...
(died 2018) — front-man, band leader, lead guitars, lead vocals
*
Shahidul Islam Tutul — keyboards
* Habib Anwar Joy — drums
*
Saidul Hasan Swapan
Love Runs Blind, often abbreviated as LRB, was a Bangladeshi rock band formed in Chittagong City by Ayub Bachchu from 5 April 1991 until 18 October 2018. They are one of the most successful bands of Bangladesh. Since their formation, they have ...
— bass guitar
* Milton Akbar — drums
* Sumon — drums
* Riaydh Sarwar - drums
* Abdullah al Masud — guitars, vocals
* Golam ur Rahman Romel — drums
* Arif Shishir — drums
*
Kazi Md. Ali Jahangir Balam - lead vocal
See also
*
Rock music of Bangladesh
*
Love Runs Blind discography
The discography of the Bangladeshi rock band Love Runs Blind (often abbreviated as LRB) consists of fourteen studio albums, one live album, five music downloads, two compilation albums, fifteen music videos and appeared on six mixed albums ...
References
External links
Official Website [archived
Official Website of AB KitchenOfficial Facebook PageBBC MusicLRB (Love Runs Blind)Band's Details with Lyrics
{{Authority control
Bangladeshi rock music groups
Musical groups established in 1991
Musical groups disestablished in 2020
1991 establishments in Bangladesh
2020 disestablishments in Bangladesh
[
ategory:Musical groups from Chittagong